An illegal wire fire in the Prince Albert area is another sign rising copper prices are attracting crooks, officials say.

Last week a hazardous materials crew was at work in a forest about 20 kilometres east of the city cleaning up a heap of toxic residue after somebody set wire ablaze to strip away the plastic insulation.

The price of copper has gone up by about 65 per cent since the beginning of the year.
The price of copper has gone up by about 65 per cent since the beginning of the year.
(CBC)
According to Saskatchewan Environment Department conservation officer Darryl Bodnaryk, the cleanup will cost taxpayers as much as $5,000.

With the price of copper rising, fires of this sort are becoming less of a surprise, he said. (Since the beginning of the year, the price of copper on the London Metals Exchange has increased to $7,550 US a tonne from about $4,500 US a tonne.)

"It seems to be getting more prevalent," Bodnaryk said. "Wire has been stolen from SaskPower sites [in the past], industrial sites and then taken into a remote location where they try to burn it without attracting attention. "

Burning the insulation puts toxic and carcinogenic dioxins and furans into the air.

Officials suspect the wire in the most recent case was stolen, although it hasn't been proven yet.

Ian McDonald, who runs a metal-salvaging business in Prince Albert, is well aware people want to get their hands on his copper currency.

"Because of the increased value it's a constant battle," he said. "We have daily occurrences of theft of some sort."

Similar thefts are happening in other regions of Canada. In New Brunswick in June, thieves stripped the wires off power poles to get about $2,500 worth of copper.

According to SaskPower spokesman Larry Christie, SaskPower experienced a number of thefts of wire several years ago at a time when copper prices had spiked. Since then, the power utility has increased security, locking down facilities where wire is stored and adding fences and lights.

"It seems to have worked," Christie said. "We have experienced no problems."

Environment officials say they investigate copper wire fires several times a year.

If convicted, someone can face a maximum penalty of a $1-million fine and three years in jail.